Telephone cabinet



Feb. 12, 1929.

E. M. TRAMMELL TELEPHONE CABINET /////A/ l r/ Filed Dec. 2, 1927 Patented Feb. 12, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EARL M. TRAMHELL. OF EL PASO. TEXAS, ASSIGNOB TO EL PASO BASH DOOB CQ, OF EL PASO, TEXAS.

TELEPHONE CABINET.

Application filed December 2, 1927. Serial 1T0. 237,217.

This invention relates to a built-in telephone cabinet comprising a unitary structure which n'iay be placed in buildings after their construction if desired. It provides a twopart cabinet, one section of which is designed to hold a telephone instrument, while the other contains the call bell and a swinging door provided with a receptacle for the directory or other book or meinoranda.

So far as the lower compartment is concerned, it is or may be substantially the same as that shown in my copending application %.534. filed July 9, 1927. No particular claim is made herein to this compartment 5 alone.

One of the main features of the invention is the provision of doors for closing the upper compartment, each of which is substantially quadrant shaped. These doors are so connected that they move simultaneously from one position to another. In the closed position, they entirely close the front of the cabinet, and present an ornamental appearance.

In the open position, they swing within the compartment so that the entire front of the same is open and the telephone may be read ily used. Connect-ions are provided whereby the swinging movement of both doors will be effected by movement of either of them. Further details of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the cabinet with. a part broken away.

Figure is a vertical section therethrough.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section through the upper compartment with parts broken away.

The cabinet comprises a top 1, bot-tom 2, back wall 3, and sides 4. It is divided into two compartments by a shelf member 5 which extends from the rear wall forwardly beyond the position taken by the doors of the cabinet when closed. A panel or border member 6 of any desired ornamental configuration may surround the cabinet proper.

lower compartment A is provided with a frontpanel B overlying the forward edge of the Shelf There is also a movable door C to idifl rear of which is attached an openended receptacle D, and this door swings upon linkage E to a horizontal position when the door is open. A call bell F'may be carried 7 by the rear wall of this lower compartment. As stated above, these arts are or may be the same or similar to tiiose disclosed in inv companion application.

For the purpose of closing the upper compartment, which is designed to contain the telephone when not in use, there are provided two doors 7, each of which is substantially quadrantshaped, and may be provided with any ornamental panels as desired. An angular bracket 8 is attached to the inner face of each door at its upperend, and is pivoted at 9 to the under side of the top member 1 of the cabinet. The lower compartment contains a transverse bar 10 having on its upper surface a bearing plate 11, and pivoted thereto at 12 are twometal members 13 the outer ends of which are turned upwardly and attached at 14 to the lower edge of the doors 7 and at 15 to the rear edge near the bottom thereof. as clearly shown in Figure 2. These members 13 have segmental rack portions 16 which mesh with each other. It is obvious that this construction provides for pivotally supporting each door at its upper and lower ends, and it is evident that the pivots 9 and 12 lie in a vertical axis. Owing to the intermeshing portions 16 a movement of one door will result in a movement of the other to exactly the same extent. One or both doors may be provided with a finger piece 17 for the purpose of facilitating the movement of the same. The shelf member 5 within the cabinet is cut away at each side as shown at 18 in the arcs of circles struck from the pivots 12 as center to guide the doors 7 in their rearward opening movement.

It will be evident that the present invention provides a very simple and efiicient construction which can be installed in a building during construction or placed therein after Wards. and in which the telephone and its accessories may be contained when not in use. The cabinet may be constructed of any desired material. and finished with any desired ornamentation. It is obvious thatdetails of the c nstruction may be varied with out in any way departing from the spirit of the invention, which is to be regarded as 11111- ited only by the scope of the appended claim.

I claim as my invention A telephone cabinet comprising a top, bottom, and sides, a shelf dividing the cabinet into two compartments, two quadrant shaped doors for the upper compartment, brackets connected to the upper ends of the doors and pivoted to the top of the cabinet, a supporting member in the lower compartment, brackets pivotally mounted on said member and connected to the rear and bottom edges of said doors, the pivotal points or the lower and upper brackets lying in two vertical axes, and means foreausing the lower brackets to act in unison.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

EARL M. TRAMMELL. 

